As many questions have been asked about the new HTML5 Publications, first introduced in QuarkXPress 2016, here are some answers to frequently asked questions. By the way, most questions seem to be asked on Facebook, so why don't you join us there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/quarkxpress/

Q. Is a HTML5 Publications an app?A. No, they are pure HTML5, so they'll play in all modern browsers. So they are platform-independent and the viewer doesn't need to install anything. Also no plug-in needed. Technology-wise they are a like a website using HTML, CSS3 and JavaScript. Therefore they'll also play on Mac OS X and Windows (inside a browser).

Q. Is a HTML5 Publications a web app?A. Yes. HTML5 Publications are web apps, starting with QuarkXPress 2018 they are even progressive web apps (PWA).

Q. What's a progressive web app?A. It's an app like experience, built solely with HTML5, so no native code for a platform. That means, it can be displayed in any modern browser on nay platform. Additionally, PWAs offer service workers, that allow them to do more things formerly only possible by native apps. For example, PWAs (so HTML5 Publications from QuarkXPress 2018) can work offline. That of course is browser dependent (as your browser needs to support service workers).

Q. What do you mean by "modern" browser?A. Currently (2018) we test (and support) the latest versions of Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Opera. Using other browsers might work, however some functionality might not work as expected.

Q. What does app-like interactivity then mean?
A. It means that you can enrich HTML5 Publications use the same interactivity that you know from native apps. Like slideshows, animations, popups, scroll areas and so on.

Q. Do I need to create everything from scratch?
A. You can start from scratch if you want to. You can also simply convert your print layouts should you have one.

Q. Once exported, how do I install HTML5 Publications?
A. When you created an HTML5 Publication via export out of QuarkXPress, you will get a collection of files and folders on your local machine, which are the HTML5 files, CCS and JS files. Copy these to your webserver (e.g. via FTP). That's it.
Everybody who wants to view the HTML5 Publication you created doesn't need to install anything, they just need to enter the URL of your webserver in their browser.

Q. Can I view HTML5 Publications locally on my Mac/Win machine?
A. Yes. Either press the preview button in QuarkXPress and it will launch a web browser that shows you everything in your default browser. Or start a webserver on your machine and manually copy the exported HTML5 Publication in there. Then you can even host it in your own network.

Q. Is there any digital publishing service or digital publishing solution needed?
A. No. You create everything locally.

Q. Is there any network communication between QuarkXPress and any kind of server needed to created HTML5 Publications?
A. No. You can create everything even being offline.

Q. So there are no additional costs involved?
A. Correct, except the purchase of QuarkXPress, no additional costs.
Of course if you rent an external webserver that will cost you something, however that's nothing Quark will charge you. And you can of course use your existing webserver (should you already have one).

Q. Can I customize the way HTML5 Publications are displayed?
A. Yes. Everything that is on the page you design in QuarkXPress. Everything that's around it, so the navigation, the scrubber bar, the background, whether social sharing buttons should show etc. you configure using a simple text editor after having exported them out of QuarkXPress. It's done in a JSON file, which is a web standard and is basically a human-readable configuration file.

Q. Will Web Analytics work, e.g. Google Analytics?
A. Yes. You can turn it on and off in the config file. With QuarkXPress 2018, HTML5 Publications are also GDPR-compliant.

Q. Can I also create native apps with QuarkXPress?
A. Yes. Starting with QuarkXPress 2017 you can use the same content and the same layout to build Single Apps for iOS.
And starting with QuarkXPress 2018 you can build Single Apps for both, Android and iOS. At no further cost.
Should you need multi-issue apps, you can of course also use the built-in App Studio, however that will add additional costs.